Bovada Poker

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December 2011 saw the launch of Bovada Poker, but this is not technically a new poker room. Bovada Poker is effectively a rebrand of Bodog Poker for US poker players. The Bodog brand still exists, servicing customers in the rest of the world, but Bovada Poker is the new home for Americans. Bovada also allow players to use one account for sports betting, horse racing betting and playing casino games.

Bovada Poker still benefits from being on the Bodog Poker network so US poker players can still play against others from around the world. Although the brand is new, it is reassuring to know that the people behind Bovada are very experienced in operating poker rooms. It is often advisable to wait and see how a new poker room turns out before playing there, but it is safe to say that Bovada already has a good reputation by way of their association with Bodog.

Popularity: 7.0 of 10 – Good

It is a little hard to judge the popularity of a new poker room; however Bovada Poker is a slightly different proposition. Although poker rooms often find it challenging to build up a customer base, Bovada Poker did not set off from a standing start. US customers of Bodog automatically had their accounts migrated to Bovada Poker so they can already claim a decent volume of players. The creation of a brand exclusively for American poker players seems to have gone down well and Bovada Poker certainly made a strong entrance to the world of online poker. As part of the Bodog network, the tables attract a decent amount of traffic and there are consistently active tables at all but the highest stakes.

Security: 8.0 of 10 – Very Good

Bovada Poker benefits from being run by people with plenty of experience in operating poker rooms. They recognise that security is a concern for poker players, who may worry about their funds being safe and their personal details being protected. You can rest assured that Bovada Poker employ strict safeguards and advanced technology to ensure that players do not need to worry about security here.

Player Competition: 9.0 of 10 – Excellent

The quality of the opposition at an online poker room is an important consideration for any player. Beginner players understandably do not want to be facing players that are all experienced and play to a very high standard. Equally, the experienced players want to know that there is a decent pool of loose players that they can pit their skills against. At Bovada poker, there is a range of players of varying standards.

As there is a casino and sports book available at Bovada Poker, you will very often find casual players at the tables who treat poker more like gambling that a dedicated poker player might. These players can be frustrating to play against for a solid player, but it is also likely to be profitable in the long run. Bovada also has a fair amount of regulars ensuring that there is plenty of action to be had both at the cash tables and in tournaments.

Site Software: 7.0 of 10 – Good

The software at Bovada is the same as the rest of the Bodog poker network so it has evolved over time. It is fair to say that it is not the best poker software out there, but it is effective enough and serves its purpose. There are a few useful features that you would hope to find at an online poker room such as recording of your statistics and resizable tables. Multi tabling is possible at Bovada Poker but is currently limited to a maximum of three tables.

Customer Support: 7.5 of 10 – Good

Bovada Poker recognise the important of good customer support and poker players here can expect a decent level of service. Customer service can be reached by email, which usually results in a reasonable quick response, or telephone for those that need an instant resolution. The support staff seem knowledgeable and keen to help.

Company Ethics: 7.0 of 10 – Good

Bovada might be a new brand but they are operated by an experienced group with a decent track record. Depositing and withdrawing to a poker site from the US can be challenging, but Bovada at least try to make it as painless as possible.

Site Promotions: 8.0 of 10 – Very Good

Bovada are obviously keen to attract new players to their poker room with a generous 100% sign up bonus of up to $1,000. You won’t receive the bonus straight away – it has to be cleared through playing cash games and tournaments – but $1,000 is generous by anyone’s standards. Players get 30 days to clear the bonus.

There are other promotions for existing players too – monthly reloads are available and they also offer a bad beat bonus and a royal flush bonus. Poker points, which are earned through real money play, can be exchanged into cash.

Overall Review: 7.5 of 10 — Good

Bovada Poker has a lot going for it and you can expect it to become a well-known brand. The fact it caters for American players and still offers the opportunity to play other players from around the world is a major plus point and Bovada will no doubt be a popular choice for residents of the United States.